A Few Saber I Questions

[fogster]

I'd asked in a previous thread about getting RSS to work properly... Now that the radios are functional (thanks to everyone who helped), I had a few scattered questions I was hoping someone would help me with.

- I had to recreate (build) the codeplugs for both of my radios (VHF Saber Is: H43QXN7139CN), after corrupting them by programming with a 'bad' version of DOS (who knew 7.10 wasn't 'real'?). The 'real' bandsplit they came with was 148-174 MHz; I created an H33 codeplug (secure) to let me go down to 146 MHz. However, one of the two radios has a DES module in it, and, when I first read it, shows a DVP Version of 03. That codeplug is lost, and it now shows 0. While I don't need encryption (no one to talk to with a single secure radio!), I'm wondering if there's a way I can get it to recognize the module again, or if it's lost.

- Should a Securenet capable radio with just a bypass module have a secure codeplug? It does, but when I go to transmit anywhere, it gives me the fast beep-beep-beep. (Curiously delayed... I'm wondering if the sidetone time goes first?) It does this regardless of which position the Securenet selector is in. (I eventually 'deleted' the switch, but to no avail.) What is wrong? (I'm not ruling hardware out: I was prodding inside earlier, but I don't think I changed anything.)

- I have the Low Battery LED option enabled. One of the radios will begin flashing during TX, but not during RX/idle. Is this the way it should be, or was it indicative of a different problem?

- Is there a way to make sidetone volume follow the volume knob? It's really, really annoying that it doesn't.

- I see Motorola antennas being advertised on all sorts of different splits. How narrow of a split do they cover? If I get one for, say, 151-162 MHz, will it perform poorly down on 2 meters?

[Tom in D.C.]

1. When you remove the battery from a secure Saber that has had a secure code loaded you lose the code unless you swap the battery pretty fast. You need a keyloader to reload the module.

2. You probably should set all of the individual channels to NOT use the encryption. With a bypass module your entire secure
capability is non-existent so forget about it.

3. Check all of the setup options in the RSS. There are a couple that affect the secure mode, but I forget what they are exactly. You want to run the switch in the front position all the time and the radio should not make any noises if you've set it up correctly.

4. There are settings in the setup menu for the low battery
threshhold.

5. The sidetone volume is not adjustable. CORRECTION: It is
adjustable in RSS.

6. All constant-loaded VHF antennas (a/k/a rubber ducks) stink
performance-wise. For 2M work a longer one is obviously
better, if only because it puts less of a strain on the radio's
final amplifier. Actual radiated results probably don't vary that much from a 151 mHz antenna.

Last, when you're running the RSS and setup menus, make
liberal use of the F1 key for help as there's a lot of data in
there.

[AEC]

The DVP version you see is useless, as you read the radio, if there is a secure module installed, the RSS will detect this and report: Priority securenet detected.

The type of encryption you have depends solely on the model number printed on the module.

NTN5833x....DES only

NTN5835x....DES-XL, where the '-XL' feature is RSS enabled/disabled so both types of modules can 'talk' to each other without replacing the actual modules.

(quote)
5. The sidetone volume is not adjustable(/quote)

This is not true, the sidetone volume is changed in the service section only.

There are no provisions for the sidetone levels to track the volume control, it's RSS adjusted only.

You can not program an encryption 'device' with RSS, this requires a keyloader and cable to do this.
You will need a T3011DX model KVL with the proper cable.

With a 'bypass' module installed, the 'secure' function is disabled anyhow and the toggle is useless except if you have the 'button' in the center, and you have MDC emergency enabled in the options menu[F4]
H967 is the unit ID W/ audible emergency-MDC1200.

When you adjust the low battery level, my favorite is to scoot the reading all the way down to '10' or so, that way you get max life before you get the 'low battery' flashing icon on the display.

[fogster]

1. When you remove the battery from a secure Saber that has had a secure code loaded you lose the code unless you swap the battery pretty fast. You need a keyloader to reload the module.

The problem is that the radio doesn't 'know' that it has a module at all. Will the keyloader make it see it again? (Again, not a big deal, just wondering.)

2. You probably should set all of the individual channels to NOT use the encryption. With a bypass module your entire secure
capability is non-existent so forget about it.

Sorry, my question was vaguely worded. What I mean is, when creating a new codeplug (the original was corrupt), should I be programming it to think it's a secure radio or not?

3. Check all of the setup options in the RSS. There are a couple that affect the secure mode, but I forget what they are exactly.

Oh, combined with your 'liberal use of F1' advice, I found that 'deleting' the ergo switch did the opposite of what I assume--it put everything into coded mode, which, on a radio with a bypass module, understandably inhibits TX. (The switch is useless, though, so you can keep it on and just use the clear 'strapping' feature to change all the channels to clear regardless of the switch.)

4. There are settings in the setup menu for the low battery
threshhold.

Does it only display during TX, though?

Thanks a bunch for your help!

[fogster]

With a 'bypass' module installed, the 'secure' function is disabled anyhow and the toggle is useless except if you have the 'button' in the center, and you have MDC emergency enabled in the options menu[F4]
H967 is the unit ID W/ audible emergency-MDC1200.

Hey, look at that... The older of the radios seems to have a button in the middle. Makes it awkward to move the switch, but I never knew there was a button.

What does MDC emergency 'do'? (I get the basic concept: signals that there's an emergency. But what actually happens?) Is it something I can safely toy around with on a (pretty much unused) MURS frequency?

[AEC]

The 'emergency' button is a signal to let the network recognize there is a person that is in trouble and needs assistance, with other options available, such as rtemote monitor and radio check, you can be listened for if another unit is in the vicinity and recognizes the sounds, and the MDC data provides the ID of the radio/user so dispatch knows exactly who is in trouble.

You CAN reprogram your secure radio as a non secure model by creating a new codeplug with F3, Create/modify.

But it's best to program it AS a secure radio to prevent other potential troubles from arising.

If there is a valid encryption module installed in the radio, the keyloader will 'see' it and validate the type and capability of that module, so in effect, yes, it will recognize the module's presence.